Recommendations/Rules for Pace of Play

We are shooting for a maximum four hour and thirty minute round of golf in our tournaments (15 minutes per hole).
Before you tee off, there will be an 8 minute call for you and your group at home tournaments.
It is at that time you must proceed to the first tee. TEE OFF ON TIME. Put the tee in the ground and go, no honors.
It is the responsibility of the members of any foursome to talk to each other about their pace of play and their position
on the course and to notify the Committee of any pace of play violations.

Remember, your position is NOT ahead of the group behind you but behind the group ahead of you.

We are not pros. There is no need for elaborate, “signature” pre shot routines.

Someone in the group needs to have a watch or bag clock for lost balls, etc. If you think you might be Out of Bounds or your ball might be lost,
play a provisional ball. Also remember the local rule at Palo Alto permitting a provisional on 11 if you are not sure if your ball has cleared the hazard.
This is posted under tournament policies on the web site and the bulletin board at the course.

KEEP PACE WITH THE GROUP IN FRONT OF YOU. PLAY READY GOLF. Except in match play, anyone that is ready can hit. Use common courtesy and golf etiquette.
This applies to the tee also. Don’t wait for honors. Whoever is ready, hit. If there is a long hitter, less long players can go once it is safe.
Putt out tap in putts if possible without affecting the line of your fellow competitors.

Position your equipment, carts, bags etc. where you will walk off the green to get to the next tee. This only takes a couple of seconds.
When you finish, you can quickly clear the green and move to the next hole. Tally your scores on the next tee and get off the green if you are finished,
so the group behind you can play up. This also applies to carts on holes 2, 4 and 9. Park behind the green.

If you are sharing a cart. Don’t sit in the cart while the other person hits then go to your shot. Grab a couple of clubs and walk
to your ball and get ready to hit when it’s your turn.

Carry an extra ball with you. One of the more annoying and time consuming things is stand around while someone goes to their bag
or cart and rummages for ball for a provisional or some other reason.

On the putting green. Don’t start reading your putt when it’s your turn. Do what you can while others are putting.
There is ample opportunity to gather a lot of information on your putt without disturbing others that are preparing to putt.
Then when it’s your turn, a good portion of the time you can take one more quick look, step in and putt.

If you find your group behind, send two players to the next tee and allow them to tee it up. Work your way back into position. We have all been behind and caught back up.

If a player in your group feels that he can reach a green in two, particularly at holes 12 and 15, then the rest of the players can hit their second shots (ready golf),
move to their balls for their third shots and allow the big hitter to remain in the fairway for his attempt at getting home in two. When the others get to their third shots,
be careful and watch for the big hitter’s play. Once he hits, it will be his responsibility by brilliant shot or third shot to catch up to his group.

When your round is finished, check your scorecard and at home tournaments turn it in, signed by the marker and competitor to Rich Bin or his designated representative
only in the pro shop office. At away tournaments, the scorecard again must be signed by marker and competitor, then turned in to the Tournament Chairman or his designated representative only.
Remember, once signed the card is official and disqualification can occur with an improperly signed card, if you leave the scoring area.

Palo Alto Golf Course marshals will monitor Pace of Play for all home events. The Marshal will contact the Head Professional (Rich Bin) when a group starts to get out of position.
(A group is out of position when there is a hole open in front of them and they are over the 15 minutes per hole pace of play.) After contacting Rich, the marshal will inform
the group that they are out of position. Please don’t argue with the Marshall. They are only following instructions and guidelines given them by the course staff and PAGC pace of play rules.
If the gap doesn't close up within three holes or the group does not pick up their pace, the Head Professional will warn the group that a penalty of one stroke will be assessed
against every player in the group if the pace doesn’t improve within the next three holes. Failure to comply with this 2nd warning will result in a penalty,
assessed on the 18th hole for each player.